The NBA 2K25 cover athlete has finally been revealed, and it might surprise a lot of people. Reactions from the community have been mixed, as most fans weren't expecting this player to grace the cover of NBA 2K25.
2K expressed that their goal with the NBA 2K25 cover is to embody the "Ball Over Everything" mentality, and that was their main reason for picking this year's cover athlete.
NBA 2K25 Cover Athlete
NBA 2K25 will have the first-ever dual-league cover in NBA 2K franchise history, with NBA champion Jayson Tatum, and WNBA champion A’ja Wilson gracing the cover.
Tatum will also be the cover athlete for the NBA 2K25 Standard Edition, while Wilson will also be gracing the NBA 2K25 WNBA Edition, which just like last year's one, will only be available in North America, at GameStop.
But that isn't all. NBA legend, NBA dunk contest winner, and future Hall of Famer Vince Carter will be featured on the NBA 2K25 Hall of Fame Edition cover.
A Surprising Choice
It's fair to say most people weren't expecting to see Jayson Tatum on the cover of NBA 2K25. The Boston Celtics superstar indeed won his first NBA championship, but Nikola Jokić, arguably the best player in the world, who recently won his third MVP award, and has never featured in a 2K cover before, seemed like the clear-cut choice.
Jokić is loved by the basketball world. He is a basketball magician, doing things no one else in the league can. He is the best active NBA player to never feature in a 2K cover, which is quite a shame, given his impact on the game and all of his accolades.
Let's be honest: Jokić probably doesn't care that much, but the NBA fans do, and many feel it was about time The Joker got his flowers from 2K. We will need to wait at least another year for that to happen.
Tatum might not be a consensual choice, but no 2K cover athlete ever is. Some might argue that despite winning the NBA title, Jaylen Brown won both the conference and finals MVP awards and, therefore, was a more deserving player.
However, Tatum is the face of the Celtics, even if some might think Brown is a better player or that he played a more important role in the team's conquest of the 2024 NBA championship.
What do you think about this year's cover athlete choice? Was there someone else you would have preferred to see on the cover? Let us know in the comments below!